Pump having wire cable for driving same



1932. J. A. WINTROATH 1,856,610

PUMP HAVING WIRE CABLE; FOR DRIVING SAME Filed June 18, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet l l 96 [/v l/E/V Toe (/aH/v A lx/l/v Tea? 77/,

A TTOB/VEY J. A. WINTROATH PUMP HAVING WIRE CABLE FOR DRIVING SAME May 3, 1932. w

s Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 18, 1928 Patented May 3, 1932 UNITED STATES JOHN A. WINTROATH,-OF LOS ANGELES,

P'EENT OFFICE CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR T'O WINTROATH PUMP HAVING- WIRE CABLE FOR DRIVING SAME Application filed June 18,

My invention relates to the deep-well pumping art, and more particularly to a novel construction for a deep-well turbine pump.

The usual form of deep-well turbine pump has a pump head situated at the surface of the ground directly above a well. Extending downward from this pump head is a discharge pipe which supports at its lower end a pump section. One or more impellers are positioned in the pump section so that a rotation thereof will force well-fluid upward through the discharge pipe to the pump head. It is customary to provide an electric motor in the 16 pump head, this motor having a line shaft which extends downward the entire length of the discharge pipe and holds the impellers on the lower end thereof. This line shaft is ordinarily formed of relatively heavy 20 steel shafting, and is jo-urnalled throughout its length by suitable bearings. Great difficulty is experienced when operating such a pump in a well which is slightly crooked. Such a crooked well will cause a bending of the line shaft which always results in undue wear on the bearings and sometimes causes a failure of the line shaft.

Furthermore, such line shafting is quite expensive, in asmuch as it must be carefully formed of uniform texture so that it will contain no sections of internal weakness. For these and'other reasons, I have found it advantageous to provide a flexible line shaft connecting the pump head and the pump section.

It is an object of my invention to provide a flexible line shaft for a deep-well turbine pump, this line shaft connecting a drive means and a pump section situated in the well.

I prefer to utilize a short drive shaft situated in the pump head, and a short pump shaft situated in the pump section, the former carrying the drive means, and the latter carrying the impellers. These two shafts I connect by my flexible member which is preferably in the form of a stranded wire cable, this cable being relatively more flexible than the drive shaft or pump shaft.

It is an object of my invention to provide 50 a pump head having a drive shaft, a pump 1928. Serial No. 286,111.

section having a pump shaft, and a member connecting these two shafts which is relatively more flexible than either of these shafts.

A further object of my invention is to provide a novel device for connecting this flexible member to these shafts.

Still another object of my invention to provide a novel bearing for use with a flexible line shaft.

I have found it advantageous to maintain a tension on the flexible shaft connecting the pump head and the pump section so that there will be no undue whipping of this member. This tension may best be provided by the cooperation of an adjusting means and a spring situated in the pump head, the spring compensating for any slight decrease in length of the shaft due to a twist throughout the length thereof.

It is another object of my invention to pro vide a turbine pump construction in which a resilient member is provided for maintaining a tension on the shaft connecting the pump head and the pump section.

I have furthermore found it advantageous to support the weight of the impellers, and the hydraulic thrust imposed thereon in raising the well-fluid to the surface of the ground, by means of a thrust bearing located in the pump head. It is further desirable to supplement the action of the thrust bearingwith a radial hearing so that the drive shaft of the pump head may be correctly journalled.

It is an object of my invention to provide a novel bearing structure for a pump head.

In placing a tension on the flexible cable member of my invention, I have found it advantageous to support the lower end of the pump shaft by a thrust bearing which is axially movable between positions in which this hearing carries a thrust.

It is a further object of my invention to provide an axially movable thrust bearing for journalling the pump shaft of a pump section.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be made evident hereinafter.

Referring to the drawings, in which I ilfan lustrate one embodiment of my invention,-

Fig. l is a utility View illustrating my pump as it is installed in a Well.

Fig. 2 is a vertical View, partially sectioned, of the pump head of my invention.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of aportion of the I discharge pipe of my invention. H

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of .a portion of the pump section of my invention.v

Fig. '5 is a detailed view of the thrust bea-ringof my invention when this bearing is in a different position from that shown in Fig. 4.

- Fig. 6 is an enlarged detailed view of the adjusting means shown'in the pump head of Fig. 2, this view illustrating a different position of the-adjusting means;

Fig. 7 is a. sectional view taken on theline 7-7 of Fig. 2. 2

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 88 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken on the line 1010 of Fig. 2.

,My. invention is applicable to various types of turbine pumps and I will particularly describe one form for the purpose of deliniteness without in any way limiting myself thereto. This form is clearly illustrated in the attached drawings. Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2,

and6to 10 inclusive, I provide a pump head lO situated at the surface of the ground "directly above a well 11 which may have a casing 12 set therein. This pump head has a base 15 having a discharge chamber '16 formed therein which communicates with an outlet pipe 17'secured thereto. Supported on the base 15. and secured thereto by bolts 18, is a supporting spider 19 which in turn supports a drive means. "This drive means may be in the form-of a motor 20 or may comprise a pulley adapted to be driven from a prime mover placed a distance therefrom, orm'aybe any other type of drive means suitable for-driving'the turbine pump. T he particular motor 20 illustrated has a casing 21 supported by a member 22 extending upward from a flange'23, this flange beingsecured to the supporting spider 19 by bolts 24. A cover 25 protects the upper portion of the -mo-.

of a spacer which extends downward concentric with the spindle 33.

The lower end of this spacer engages the V inner race of a lower thrust bearing 36, this inner race also surrounding the spindle 33 and resting against a shoulder 37 thereof.

The outer race of the thrust bearing 36 is retained on a shoulder 38 formed in a lower bearing chamber 39, this chamber being defined "by a' cup portion-40 ofthe supporting spider '19 and a'bearing chamber cover 41 positioned above this cup portion.

The upper and lower portions of the lower bearing chamber 39 are in communication through a passage 42 formed around the outer race of the thrust bearing 36. The lower bearing chamber 39, and the lower portion of the bell 28, are .adapted to:be filled with oil, so that the thrust bearing 36 operates j submerged below -the surface ofthis body of oil. .Aportion of this oil .isconducted upward to the radial bearing. 31 by axpum means, indicated by the numeral 45.

This pump means comprises a stationary tube 46 which extends downward from-an annular-shoulder -47 defining the lower end of the upper bearing cavity 30. The tube 46 may be :retained by this annular shoulderby any suitable means, butrI prefer to support this tube byexpanding the upper end there-H of until it contacts the inner surface of the shoulder -47 the upper end of'this tube being thus Tbelledto hold it in place.- The station- :ary tube 46 is held concentric with the axis of the spindlef33 by arms 49 extending in-.

ward from the bell,28 and engaging-the periphery of the 'tube'46.

This tube extends downward through the bearing chamber "cover 41 and into the lower bearing chamber 39. I The annular space between the tube ,46andthespacer 35 is adapted to carry oil upward to the radial bearing 31,:this pumping action takingrp'lace through the medium of a helical bead 50-extending from the periphery of thespacer35 to'a'point adjacent the inner surface of the tube 46.

The head v5O is so formed that a portion of the :oil in the lower bearing chamber 39 will bedrawn upward between the-spacer 35 and the tube 46 when the spindle is rotating in its normal direction. This oil passes through the upper radial bearing 31 and escapes from the upper bearing cavity 30 through one or more openings 51 formed in the lower end of a threaded cover 52 which isthreaded into the upperend of the upper bearing cavity 30 and engages the race of the radial bearing 31 in a manner to compress the inner races of the radial bearing 31 and the thrust bearing 36 against the spacer 35. The opening 51 is in communication with a return passage 53 formed through the upperen-d .of the bell 28,

this passage communicating between the opening 51 and the annular space between the bell and the stationary tube 46. Thus, the

'flanges 56 and 57 being secured together by bolts 59. The rotor 58 maybe of any suitable design, but it is desirable that the horizontal center line of this rotor le below the flange 57. The rotor 58 is adapted to be rotated by a stator winding, not shown, the rotation of the rotor being transmitted to the spindle 33 by the bolts 59.

Also supported on the upper end of the spindle 33, and inside the flange 57 of the rotor, is a thrust member 62 secured to the spindle by one or more pins 63 so that this thrust'member rotates therewith.

' Surrounding the upper portion of the thrust member 62 is a compression spring 64 which is compressed between the radial portion of the thrust member and a cap 65. A nut 66 in turn rests upon the cap 65, the cap and nut beingnormally held together by bolts 67.

The spring 64 is compressed by removing the bolts 67 and tightening the nut 66, this nut being threaded to the upper end of a drive shaft 68 extending downward through the thrust member 62and the spindle This drive shaft 68 is adapted to support the entire weight of the impellers of the turbine pump, and any hydraulic thrust that is placed thereon. This weight and hydraulic thrust is transmitted through the spring-6 l and is carried by the thrust bearing 36. The spring 6i thus exerts an upward force on the drive shaft 68, this force bein adjustable by rotating the nut 66 when the bolts 67 are removed.

' The drive shaft 68 is suitably keyed to the thrust member 62 by a key 70, this key having a head portion which engages a channel 71 formed in the cap 65. Thus, this key serves the dual purpose of locking the shaft 68 from any rotative movement relative to the thrust member 62 and relative to the cap 65. Inasmuch as the bolts 67 prevent any to receive a packing 76. This packing is compressed in place by a gland 77 held in position by studs 79 having nuts 80 thereon. A by-pass opening 81 is formed through the gland 77 and permits any water which might rise through the packing 76 to escape into an annular channel 82 formed in the upper end of the packing member 73, this water being conducted therefrom by a pipe 83. Any leakage through the packing may be stopped by tightening the nuts 80, this operation being accomplished without removing any parts of the pump head by extending a wrench between the legs of the supporting spider 19.

Extending downward from the base inside the well casing 11 is a discharge pipe 82a formed of sections 83a suitably secured together by spiders 84. The lowermost section 83a is connected to an upper bearing structure 85 of a pump section 86 of my invention. Secured below this upper bearing structure 85 is one or more impeller sections 87, each of which has an impeller chamber 88 formed therein. An impeller 89 is placed in each of the impeller chambers 88 and is adapted to pump well-fluid upward through the pump section 86 and the discharge pipe 82a.

A connecting spider 90 is secured to the lowermost impeller section 87 and also supports an intake pipe 91. This spider has legs 92 supporting a flange 93, this flange being provided with a hub 94. A ledge 95 extends downward from the flange 93 and threadedly receives the upper end of a bearing container 96, there being a bearing chamber 97 defined between the flange 93 and a lower wall 98 of the bearing container 96.

The bearing container 96 provides a cylindrical surface 99 defined between annular ledges 100 extending inward from this surface. Outer races of upper and lower thrust bearings 101 and 102 are slidably disposed in the bearing chamber 97, these outer races engaging the cylindrical surface 99. The inner races of the bearings 101 and 102 are relatively spaced by a spacer 103 which is of sufficient length so that the bearings 101 and 102 may be moved vertically a distance while contacting the cylindrical surface 99. Fig. 4 illustrates the uppermost position of these bearings, while Fig. 5 illustrates these bearings in a lowermost position.

The inner races of the bearings 101 and 102 are mounted on a sleeve 105. Extending through the sleeve is a reduced diameter portion 106 of a pump shaft 107, this shaft extending through an opening 108 in the hub 9e and through each impeller section 86, tern'iinating a distance above the upper bearing structure 85. This pump shaft is adapt ed to be journalled in the bearings 101 and 102 at the lower end thereof, and by a sleeve bearing 108a formed in the upper bearing structure 85, this sleeve bearing being illustrated in Fig. 3. Each of the impellers 89 is rigidly secured to the pump shaft 107. Formed at the top Of'lillQ reduced diameter portion 106 is an annular shoulder 110, this shoulder engaging the upper face of a flange 111 formed on the sleeve 105. The lower edge of this flange contacts the inner race of the thrust bearing 101. Surrounding the reduced diameter portion 106', and contacting the inner race of the bearing 102, is a ring 112. The upper and lower bearings are tightly clamped between the flange 111 and the ring 112, and the sleeve105 is clamped against the shoulder 110, by a nut 114 threaded to the lower end of the reduced-diameter portion 106. This nut has a pin 115 adapted to extend through an opening in the shaft 107 to lock the nut 114 in clamping position.

The pumpshaft 107 is adaptedto be driven by the drive shaft 68, these shafts being conrnected by a connecting means formed of a flexible cable 120. I prefer to form this connecting member of stranded steel cable which is relatively quite flexible, although my invention includes the use of any connecting member relatively more flexible than either the line shaft 107 or the drive shaft 68. This flexible cable is cut the proper length, the ends thereof being passed through neck portions 121 of suitable joint memis flared adjacent the neck portion v121, as

indicated by the numeral 123, thus forming an enlar ed chamber 124 therein into which an end or the cable 120 extends. The cable 120 has strands 125 which may be untwisted slightly in the enlarged chamber 124, after which this enlarged chamber is preferably poured full ofa suitable clamping material so that the cable 120 and the joint members 122 are secured firmly together when this material hardens.

' The upper joint member 122 is threadedly received by the lower end of the drive shaft 68 and the lower joint member is threadedly received by the upper end of the pump shaft 'venient to position such hearings in the spiders 84 connecting the lengths of the discharge pipes 830., one of these spiders being illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3.

Referring to these figures, a hub portion 130 of the spider 84 has a bore 131 extending centrally therethrough in which a sleeve bearing 132.is pressed. This sleeve bearing is preferably formed of wood, rubber, o-rany substance which will be lubricated by the well-fluid passing upward through the discharge pipe 82a.

. Correctly positioned on the cable 120 is a sleeve 135 formed of brass or other similar material, this sleeve being slipped over the cable before the joint members 122 are secured thereto. the cable 120 and supported concentric with the axis thereof by a body of material 136.

This material is preferably'lead, although any material which will suitably harden to hold the sleeve 1.35 in correct position may be used. The sleeve 135 preferably surrounds the cable120 for a distance which is greater than the length of the sleeve bearing 132 so that the cable 120 may be vertically 'moved a gland 141 threadedly received by a collar 142 of the flange 93.

Similarly, the pump head may be completely assembled at the factory, if desired.

In installing the turbine pump of my invention it is not necessary to use fixed lengths of discharge pipe as has ordinarily been the case heretofore due to the fact that the conventional solid line shaft extending between the motor and the impellers are connected by couplings, these couplings being journalled in bearings held in'the spiders 84 positioned between lengths of the discharge pipe 83. The lower joint member 122 is tightly secured to the upper end of the pump shaft 107 before the pump section 86 is lowered in the well, and the upper joint'member is tightly secured to the lower end of the drive shaft 68 after the pum section has been lowered. When thus assem led, oilis poured into the lower bearing chamber 39 and the lower end of the bell 28. This oil may rise to a level determined by the upper end of an oil-retaining tube 150 extending upward from the cup portion 40 around the shaft 68 and inside the spindle 33. Any oilin the bell 28 above this level will flow downward between the oilretaining tube 150and the shaft 68.

The nut 66 is turned until the entire weight of the shafts 68 and 107, the impellers, and the cable 120 is carried by the thrust bearings 36. The compression spring 64 :at this time is slightly compressed. By knowing the combined weight of these members, and the characteristics of the spring 64, the operator can determine when the entire weight of the shafting, connectingm-eans, and impellers is The sleeve 135 is spaced from carried on the thrust bearing 36 by measuring the compression of the spring 64.

I have found it advantageous to place an additional tensional stress on the cable 120 for the purpose of maintaining this member under a high tension at all times. This is accomplished by further adjusting the nut 66. If the amount of compression of the spring 64 is noted during this further adjustment, the operator may adjust the structure so that the bearings 101 and 102 will operate intermediate the annular ledges 100 when the normal hydraulic thrust is impressed upon the impellers due to the well fluid being forced upward through the discharge pipe 82a. I prefer, however, to tighten the nut 66 still more, so that the bearings 101 and 102 will always maintain their position indicated in Fig. 4, thus carrying all the vertical load by means of the thrust bearing 36 at the surface of the ground.

When the pump is started there will be a slight twist in the cable 120 between the upper and lower endsthereof. This twist I have found to be very slight, and is automatically compensated for by the spring 64 which is slightly compressed due to the shortening of the cable which takes place when the ends of this cable are relatively twisted. It should. be understood that the normal operating position of the cap and spring 64 is as shown in Fig. 6, rather than that limiting positlon shown in Fig. 2, where the upper or sleeve portion of the cap 65 is shown contacting the thrust member 62, this sleeve portion acting as a stop means. Thus, there is always a resilient tension placed on the cable 120.

This spring 64 also acts to compensate for any stretch in the cable which sometimes takes place with continued use when the pump section is located at'great depths.

As above-mentioned it is preferable to maintain a tension on the cable 120 in excess of that imposed thereon by the weight carried thereby, including the hydraulic thrust on the impellers. If, however, this is not the case, the bearings 101 and 102 will assume the position indicated in Fig. 5, at which time a portion of the downward thrust on the pump shaft 107 will be carried by these lower thrust bearings. Such a condition is not objectionable as long as a suflicient tension is maintained on the cable 120 to keep it taut.

It should be understood that I am not limited to the use of two relatively spaced thrust bearings 101 and 102, as illustrated.

Clearly, these bearings accomplish the same use of a stranded steel cable for connecting the shafts 107 and 68. Obviously, other joint members and other types of shafting whether or not they are relatively more flexible than the shafts 68 and 107 might be used, for the spring 64 finds utility in maintaining a tension on any member connecting the shafts 68 and 107.

The pump construction illustrated is much more simple than ordinary constructions and is much cheaper to install. Furthermore, this pump will successfully operate in wells which are considerably out of alignment, due

to the fact that the flexible cable 120 may be easily bent to compensate for any non-alignment of the well. Furthermore, the equipment may be installed by persons not skilled in the art inasmuch as all the critical adj ustments of the pump head and pump section are completed at the factory.

If desired, an oil line may be run down the well to commuicate with the bearing chamber 97, thus making it possible to renew the oil supply therein without withdrawing the pump section from the well.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a deep-well turbine pump, the combination of: a pump head at the surface of the ground; a drive means in said pump head; a pump section supported in a well; an impeller in said pump section adapted to force well-fluid upward in said well; connecting means operatively connecting said drive means and said impeller; and a thrust bearing slidably mounted in said pump section: to move between extreme upper and lower positions, said thrust bearing taking a thrustimposed thereon when at either extreme posltion.

2. In a deep-well turbine pump, the combination of: a pump section defining an impeller chamber; a shaft extendin into said pump section and through said impeller chabber; means for driving said shaft, said shaft being axially movable in said pump section; an impeller mounted on said shaft in said impeller chamber; and a thrust bearing in said pump section and limiting the axial movement of said shaft within predetermined limits, said limits being such as to prevent contact between said impeller and the walls of said impeller chamber.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set i my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 12th j day of June, 1928.

JOHN A. VVINTROATH. 

